Never Had A Choice
by onlyonepage
Summary: Leaving behind her past in Sheffield's steel city Evelyn finds herself choosing to take on the sole responsibility of Small Heath School. Swept up into the lives of the Shelby's she finds that she never really had a choice in the first place.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Small Heath School, Birmingham._ Evelyn looked down at the scrap of paper in her hand and put her small suitcase down on the cobbled street. Her perfect flourish of cursive handwriting had smudged and run as thick raindrops pattered onto the paper. Evelyn tried her best to shield it with her glossy leather gloves but the damage was already done. With a heavy sigh she carefully folded it into four and placed it in the pocket of her woollen coat. The sodden fur trim of her coat was but a small comfort against the chill of the October rain.

Evelyn looked around for a street sign. She was looking for Green Lane. According to the directions she took down over the telephone the school would be on the left. Evelyn's eyes caught a grimy sign on the dark brickwork of an end terrace, _Watery Lane._ That wasn't right. Evelyn frowned, she was so sure she followed the instructions down to the last detail. She considered asking for directions but with the dreary Sunday afternoon the street was all but empty. Most people would be tucking into their Sunday dinners keeping out of the torrential downpour.

Through the dark haze of the city smog and rain Evelyn could see figures leaning against the wall of a house mid-way down the street. Their caps pulled down over the eyes and heads down studying something, she assumed a newspaper. Evelyn weighed up her options. Her gut instinct told her not to approach them. She clutched her handbag closed and looked away from the men. One of them looked up in her direction. Fear engulfed Evelyn as imagination took over. She spun on her heel and picked up her suitcase and turned back the way she came leaving behind the echo of her heels tapping on the road. Evelyn was about to turn left out of the road and continue on to try the next road over as the unmistakeable sound of a car rumbled its away towards the turning of the road. Its wheels bumped along the cobbles splashing Evelyn with the black water of puddle festering at the side of the street soaking her to the bone. The car continued on without a care for her. Evelyn was beginning to regret ever leaving the familiarity of her home city. Evelyn mustered up the remainder of her spirits ready to give the driver a piece of her mind but she was too slow. The car had already pulled up alongside the men down the road. Evelyn made a swift exit from the street and continued on to the next street hoping for better luck. She definitely didn't need a run in with whoever the unsavoury character was that was driving the car.

As luck would have it the next street over was Green Lane much to Evelyn's relief. She hastily made her way down the street until she got to the small building that was Small Heath School. The school was in darkness and the wrought iron gates with their chipped black paint were padlocked shut. She reached into her handbag and rummaged beneath the train tickets and a wrapper from the hastily eaten station pastry to find what she was looking for. A set of rusty keys that arrived by post a week ago. She fumbled with them until she found the correct key for the padlock. Evelyn gave the gates a good shove to get them open. Fallen leaves crunched as they buckled beneath the heavy iron. The gates grated on the stone path filling the quiet street with sound. Evelyn left the gates open and headed for the inside of the run down school. Dull green paint on the door peeled away reelaing several other shades below and mould grew around the windows.

Evelyn wasn't prepared for the chill of the entrance hall as she shut and locked the door behind her to be on the safe side. Her breath misted as she hoped the school had electricity. No such luck. Instead an oil lamp sat on a table in the damp foyer. For a moment Evelyn struggled to get it lit but eventually a warm glow was cast over the small room. To say it had seen better days was an understatement.

Evelyn continued her inspection of the school or rather the small entrance hall and small classroom that made up Small Heath School. An outbuilding out in the school yard looked like it could be a toilet with its smashed window. As she walked down the length of the small classroom her eyes caught names etched in to battered wooden desks, "Arthur, Danny, Charles, Tommy," she spoke them aloud as she inspected each desk. Some of the names had been worn away over the years or couldn't be made out through illegible handwriting. "Mary, Robbie, Ada," Evelyn was a little surprised to see a few girls names in there. Evelyn raised an eyebrow at a rather delightful four letter word scratched onto one of the chairs. It wasn't for the first time that Evelyn began to worry what she had gotten herself into. A fairly new name caught her attention on a desk near the front, "Finn." Perhaps that was a current student of the school.

Evelyn sat herself down in the wooden chair behind what was to be her desk. She pulled open the stiff wooden draws looking for a register. Anything that was going to give her a clue as to what she was walking into. All she knew so far was the school had been empty for three weeks following the swift disappearance of the previous teacher. A previous teacher who by the looks of things had kept no record of any of the students. Evelyn never had got to the bottom of why the previous teacher vanished resulting in the closure of the school. What she did find was half torn piece of paper buried beneath a tatty maths textbook titled 'Detentions'. She read over the names recognising some of them from the tables. Robert was at the top of the list followed by Finn. Written next to both was a reason 'truanting'. Evelyn set the list down not even sure if it was recent or from years gone by. It was hard to tell with the state of the paper.

The first order of business was clearly going to be getting the school room tidy for her first day tomorrow. She was going to have to work well into the night before using the only other key on the set she was posted to up the end terrace next to the school that was to be her home for the foreseeable future. Evelyn dared not give the place a thought until she was done with the school room. There would be no telling what condition it would be in.

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 **Love some feedback and thoughts :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Evelyn was roused from her slumber as dawn begun to creep through the heavy curtains of her barren bedroom after a few uncomfortable hours of sleep on a lumpy mattress. The harsh sound of industry begun to echo around the cold street as Small Heath stirred to life at the start of another working week. Evelyn had worked tirelessly into the night to ensure everything was ship shape for the morning. The damp school room had been scrubbed to within an inch of its life and the musty smell had begun to dissipate.

Evelyn stood in her best frock, a navy blue dress with a white lace trim. It wasn't fancy by any means but hopefully it gave off the right impression, one that said 'I'm in charge'. Evelyn wasn't from an affluent background by any stretch of the imagination. She had a small amount savings left to her by her mother that had already dwindled as a result of her current situation. Her meagre wages were her only other source of income. Evelyn was always able to make the best of her lot in life. Most of her clothes were patched and mended or belonged to her mother once upon a time.

As her mind drifted to her late mother Evelyn reached up and fiddled with the charm on her tarnished silver necklace that hung around her neck. It had been passed on to all the women in her family. Evelyn thought the small Cornish Piskie was rather ugly but sentiment had her wearing it every day. She tucked it beneath the neck line of her dress and turned her attention to the last task before she opened the doors for the day. With a practiced hand she picked up the new piece of chalk from the box she bought with her and wrote her name, _Miss Trevellick._ A shout from outside had her placing the chalk down, dusting her hands off and smoothing down her dress to greet the day.

"Morning," Evelyn greeted as a group of young children pushed and shoved their way into the school yard. They stopped and looked at Evelyn for a long moment, weighing her up, before continuing on. A boy with a grubby face and ripped trousers pushed his way past a girl in a plain grey dress two sizes too big for her. Evelyn assumed a hand me down. "Now there ain't no need t' push," Evelyn called out over the rabble forgetting to reign in her accent.

"You speak funny," the girl in the over-sized dress spoke as she skipped towards the door.

"Nowt wrong with the way I speak. You speak funny to me," Evelyn answered.

"You sayin' we're common?" the boy who did the pushing shouted.

"No," Evelyn held her hands up in defence and made a mental note to watch her accent, "Now settle down." The small class did nothing of the sort. Evelyn cast her gaze across the youngsters. According to the paperwork she eventually found the youngest was five years old. In fact a majority of her class were young. Evelyn suspected that there should be a few older faces in front of her. Small Heath clearly had a disregard for the law. Children must be in school until they are twelve. It wasn't uncommon in some areas for children to leave school earlier than twelve to work to support families. More often than not the schools didn't bother chasing after absent students.

Evelyn's first morning felt like baptism by fire. She very quickly learnt all the names of the eleven students who had bothered to attend. According to her papers she should have had thirty eight students. Word had yet to get out that the school had reopened. After a morning of arithmetic Evelyn dismissed the children for a much needed break for her sake rather than theirs. She was only just holding onto control. Already she'd had three children stood in the corner and another would be cleaning her board rubber at the end of the day. Was too late to head back up north to the familiarity and safety of her old job.

The morning break ended far too quickly for Evelyn's liking. She rung the heavy brass bell to signal the end of break. It went ignored. She rung it again and once again it was ignored. "Reyt, you little heathens inside now!" she shouted once again slipping into her Sheffield accent. A few of the younger children did as instructed leaving behind the somewhat unruly older lads that had made her morning challenging. Evelyn noted the marbles they were playing with, "If you don't go inside this minute I will smash each and every one of those marbles in front you." She was done being nice.

"You can't do that!" the tallest of the boys, Robert, shouted up at her.

Evelyn discovered early on in her teaching career that if she made a threat she had to follow through with it. She lifted her foot and placed it over the nearest marble. Her polished black shoes resting on the smooth glass. "Watch me," she countered. A stand-off followed between her and Robert. Whispers among his friends broke out. They scrambled to their feet and scampered off inside. Robert's gaze flicked past Evelyn and back to the marble under her foot then back to what had caught his gaze. Evelyn didn't break eye contact with the little terror doubting that there was anything interesting behind her in the first place. With a huff and a grumble he got to his feet and trudged into the classroom. Evelyn smiled to herself triumphantly as her battered confidence was restored. She'd won. Evelyn turned to join the children inside but stopped before she could take a step further.

A young man and small boy stood in front of her, "Finn Shelby," the man spoke in a thick brummy accent. He pushed the child forward with a gentle shove. Evelyn was caught completely off guard. She regarded the man for a moment. Taking in every inch of him from his peaked cap low over his eyes, the long coat and suit. How had she not heard him enter through the squeaky gate?

"I didn't hear you come in," Evelyn spoke at a loss as to what to say.

"If you lift the gate as you lift it then it doesn't squeak," the boy confessed. Evelyn turned her attention to him.

"And who are you?" she asked him as she knelt down.

The boy laughed, "He's not Finn. I am. You should know who that is."

"Finn," the man warned.

Evelyn ignored the warning tone, "So who is that?" she asked Finn.

"Tommy Shelby," the boy answered with pride. Evelyn got the impression that Tommy Shelby was something of a legend to the boy.

"Why don't you go on inside, we're going to do some writing," Evelyn returned to her feet and sent the boy on his way. As he ran through the school doors she turned back to the man, "He's late."

"He left the house on time this morning," Tommy answered her, "Watch out for his truanting." Tommy straightened his cap and left through the gate. Evelyn watched as he pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips and lit it with the strike of a matchbook.

"You shouldn't smoke in the school," she called after him. He took a long drag but didn't look back as he left the gate open. Annoyed Evelyn closed the gate with more force than necessary and returned to the school to see what chaos had been unleashed after leaving them unsupervised. The trays of sand for their writing practice would probably be upturned all over the place and as for the sticks they used to practice writing with she wouldn't be surprised if the little darlings hadn't set fire to them.

Evelyn remembered the detention list she found as she closed the school doors, evidently this was _the_ Finn. The one who liked truant. "We'll see about that," Evelyn mumbled to herself as she held her head high and took control of the animals in her classroom.

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 **Thank you to those who reviewed. Glad you liked it. First few chapters will be a bit of an introduction. I've got a busy few days ahead so not likely to be an update until the weekend.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It took very little time for Evelyn to become aquainted with the ins and outs of life in Small Heath. October had turned into a cold stormy November. Her students always bought in tales from the mundane to the horrific. It seemed the bloodier the tale the more details they had to share. Slowly Evelyn was learning not to be too mortified by the experiences some of the children had at home. One thing was for certain; no matter how big or small the tale the name Shelby was always involved somewhere.

Finn was always the first to share a story where his family were concerned. Evelyn suspected he included the occasional embellishment not that she could ever be one hundred percent sure. From what she gathered they were not a family to be messed with. Since Finn had been delivered to the school yard on her first morning Evelyn hadn't encountered any other Shelby's. As far as she was concerned it could stay that way.

Evelyn was sweeping the floor of her school room having dismissed the children several hours ago. It was routine she had settled into with ease. After dismissing the children she would plan her lessons for the next day and sort out any off jobs that needed doing well past night fall. She mindlessly brushed away the dirt and grime from muddy boots as she hummed a tune to herself. Sweeping under desks she noticed a light grey cap resting against a chair leg. It was Finn's desk. She rested her broom against the battered wooden table ignoring its clatter to the hard wood floor as it slipped and hastily snatched up the abandoned cap. "Ouch!" she dropped it instantly and cradled her hand. An inch long cut had opened up in the palm of her hand. She raised it up and cradled it for a moment. She wasn't quite sure what had just happened. Wincing she inspected the wound that oozed rich scarlet blood. Evelyn pulled a tissue from her sleeve and clenched her bleeding hand around it. She bent down and carefully picked up the hat with her good hand. Glinting in the light was a small blade stitched beneath the small peak of the cap, "What on earth?" she mumbled to herself. How had she not noticed that when he arrived that morning?

Evelyn felt sick to her stomach as her thoughts drifted to a rumour she had heard about a notorious gang based in Small Heath. The very gang that Finn was always chattering on about. The Peaky Blinders. Evelyn had thought the blades in the peaks of their caps was just a rumour, well, that was clearly not the case. From what she could gather from overheard conversations in the school and within the local community Arthur Shelby was the leader of the Peaky Blinders. Finn's elder brother. It was a name she often heard but had yet to put a face to. Evelyn's heart plummeted at the thought of Finn caught up with the Peaky Blinders. It wasn't right.

Abandoning her sweeping Evelyn located the small box of medical supplied belonging to the school. The cut had mostly stopped bleeding but she cleaned it anyway. Luckily it wasn't deep. She wrapped a bandage around it to keep it clean and gathered her things. The sweeping could wait until morning.

Going through the motions of tending to her hand gave Evelyn time to think and allow professional judgement to take over. It wasn't right for Finn to be involved with a gang, not at his age. Evelyn wasn't stupid she knew she couldn't fix all of Small Heath but she could sure as hell try. She'd never forgive herself if something was to happen to one of the children she taught. She resigned herself to visiting the Shelby residence. Locking the door she made the short walk to the next street over, Watery Lane.

Evelyn was a woman on a mission to protect the youngest Shelby from harm as the clack of her heels echoed on the street. It was no surprise to her that Finn's home was the very same building the unsavoury characters were stood outside of upon her arrival in Small Heath. Maybe one of them had been Finn's brother, Tommy? Evelyn shook her head at that thought. Why should it matter?

Evelyn apprehensively knocked on the imposing door of the Shelby's with her good hand. At first no one answered. She took a steadying breath and knocked again with more force. The door swung open revealing a woman, "Can I help you?"

"Miss Trevellick, Finn's teacher," Evelyn introduced herself.

"So you are," she replied looking her up and down, "What's 'e done now?"

"Well, you see," Evelyn stumbled over her words as she tried to decide how best to inform the woman of what she'd found. She really hadn't thought this far ahead. "Finn left his cap in school," She took the hat from her bag and held it out for the woman who looked at the hat and then at Evelyn.

"You could have given it 'im tomorrow," the woman spoke with a heavy Birmingham accent. She took the hat and went to close the door. Evelyn reached out with her good hand to hold the door open.

"Wait. There's more," she pleaded.

"Always is. Best come in then, hadn't yer?" the woman stepped aside allowing Evelyn to pass.

As Evelyn sat in a wood chair around a small kitchen chair with the smell of the coal stove thick in the air she took stock of the room around her. It wasn't large but was filled with dark wood furniture and a dull green paintwork. A large dark wood dresser stood against the far wall filled with blue willow pattern china. A small stove sat in the corner and a fire flickered in the fire place. Various nick knack's adorned a shelf. "Spit it out then," the woman wasn't giving Evelyn much time to find out much about Finn's home life.

"Are you Finn's mother?" Evelyn asked.

"Polly, his Aunt," the woman set the cap on the table, "His mother's dead."

Evelyn sympathised with Finn for a moment. She knew what that was like, "I'm sorry t' hear that. I won't take too much of your time I just wanted t' inform you there's blades in Finn's hat," that hadn't sounded so bad had it? "I know what they mean," she added in the hope that Polly would see the gravity of the situation.

"Do you now?" the woman challenged, "Then I wonder why you've even bothered coming." Polly scrutinised the teacher.

"Look, I've not come here to tell you how t' run your family. I'm just doing my job," Evelyn countered.

"And a noble job it is," a different voice spoke from behind her. She whipped her head round to see Tommy. Evelyn hadn't heard him enter through floor to ceiling forest green curtains. She tried to look round him to see what was through the curtains but it was no use. Instead she turned her attention back to Tommy. Unlike the first time she met him he wasn't wearing his hat but instead sported the same haircut as Finn but that wasn't what captured Evelyn's attention. That went to his eyes. The eyes that stared straight at her. It took a second or two for Evelyn to realised she'd been caught staring. It wasn't about attraction, no, definitely not she asserted to herself. It was curiosity. That was all.

Polly picked the cap up from the table and tossed it towards Tommy, "Finn's cap." Tommy caught it and inspected it before folding it up and putting it in his coat pocket. Evelyn watched him looking for a reaction. She was disappointed when she didn't get one.

"I'll deal with it," Tommy took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, "Miss Trevellick," he dismissed her.

Before leaving Evelyn made one last attempt at stressing the importance of the situation, "Don't let it happen again, please. It won't be my hand next time," both Tommy and Polly looked to her raised hand, "What if It was one of the other children?"

"I'll deal with it," Tommy repeated with a mumble around his cigarette and opened the door.

"If Tommy says 'e will deal with it then you can take his word for it," Polly assured Evelyn as she left.

Evelyn took her leave and stepped from the house. What she hadn't expected was for Tommy to follow her out. "You shouldn't be walking alone this time of night. Not here."

A refusal was on the tip of her tongue but she knew he was right. They walked side by side in silence until Evelyn spoke, "Finn needs to know how serious this is. I know who you are and who you belong with."

"Who am I?" he responded lighting his cigarette.

Evelyn stopped in her tracks and rounded on Tommy, her accent broadening as she fought to get her point across, "Don't play dumb. You're wi' t' Peaky Blinders. Finn talks about you all the time. He looks up to you, all of you. He sees what you're doing."

Tommy took a long drag of his cigarette, "Take a good look around you Miss Trevellick."

"Evelyn, please, I'm not in the school room anymore," she as he'd asked and saw the same street she'd seen on her first morning. The same dark brick terraces and grubby windows. The same damp cobbled street and lingering smog from the factory. She wasn't quite sure what Tommy was wanting her to see.

"Are you sure you belong 'ere?" he pulled his cigarette from his lips and gestured around, "If you're 'ere on some mission to do good then you're in the wrong place."

"If that is your attempt at scaring me off then I'm afraid t' disappoint you but it's not going t'work. I'm not 'ere t' do good. I'm 'ere t' do my job," Evelyn walked on ahead leaving Tommy to catch up.

"Finn is kept out of business," he placated the woman. It was the truth. Tommy had no idea until Evelyn had bought it to his attention the Finn had sewn the small razor blades into his peaked cap. He had known it was going to happen eventually as Finn grew up.

"Might I suggest you try harder," she adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she walked on leaving Tommy to smoke his cigarette. Neither Evelyn nor Tommy said anything else as they turned onto Green Lane and walked down past the school. She stopped outside the door of her end terrace adjacent to the school. "Good night Tommy," she wiggled her key to get it in the rusted lock.

"Good night, Evelyn," he replied as he waited for her to close her door and the distinct turn of the key in the lock. Tommy turned back the way he came and set his mind on business for the evening.

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 **Any mistakes are mine. I'm working two jobs at the moment so I'm super tired.**

 **Thank you for all your lovely reviews and as always feedback is appreciated :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Tommy inhaled the last bit of his cigarette as he watched Evelyn slip through her tarnished front door. Once he heard the click of the lock he flicked his finished cigarette onto the cobbled street and turned back towards Watery Lane. Evelyn Trevellick. Tommy mused. Not a very northern name. It was a name you would find in the West Country, more specifically Cornwall. Her accent on the other hand was the other end of the country. It was a puzzle. One that Tommy wanted solving. He'd had a suspicion she was from a well to do family at first. She had that air about her but her accent was a contradiction. As much as she tried to hide it she would lapse. The first time he'd met her it had hardly been there. She had been the refined school mistress but just then, as she worked herself up over six year old Finn she'd slipped into a Yorkshire accent.

Evelyn had certainly been earning a name for herself since her arrival. Least of all in the Shelby household. Tommy heard her talked about in the streets even in the Garrison, although the topic of conversation amongst the regulars was considerably less appropriate. To them she was an exotic creature from outside the city. One that clearly didn't belong in Small Heath. With his thoughts still on the newcomer Tommy's legs carried him to the Garrison. He pushed open the doors and into the side room. A good drink, that's what he needed to clear her from his mind.

"Tommy!" Arthur's voice carried out of the open door side room loud and proud.

"Arthur," he greeted as she stepped into the side room of the Garrison pulling the door shut behind him. Arthur, having already had a skin full held out the bottle of Irish whiskey for Tommy.

-x-

Evelyn greeted her class at the gates the following morning noting who was missing for the day. A few of whom were starting to worry her. She knew it was winter and illness was rife but there in Small Heath it seemed a hundred times work. Twice she sent children home with fevers. So far, she touched wood, she'd avoided any of the germs. It was one particular boy who had been poorly the previous day and had yet to turn up that had Evelyn concerned the most. He had an awful rattling cough. She was so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn't noticed Finn Shelby sidle through the gate.

"Miss Trevellick. These are for you. I didn' mean fer yer to get 'urt," he held out a handful of battered wild flowers. She had no idea where he got wild flowers in Small Heath. It was dark place even on the brightest of days. Open green space was certainly lacking.

She took the flowers from Finn, "Thank you Finn. Did you pick these yourself?"

Finn looked back out through the gate where his aunt stood just outside the gate, "Pol helped me. They're to say sorry. I didn' mean to 'urt to yer."

Evelyn couldn't be mad at him if she tried. It didn't matter to her that it was instigated by Polly, "You just make sure that it doesn't happen again. I'll put these on my desk."

"Yer can't do that!" he looked outraged and glanced through the railings at Polly who was fixing him a scowl. Clearly Polly was there to make sure Finn was doing as requested.

"Why not?" Evelyn asked the youngest Shelby.

"I don't want anyone to know I gave it yer," he mumbled.

Evelyn knelt down to Finn's level, "I won't tell anyone. Your secret's safe wi' me. Run along then."

It certainly wasn't what she expected from a Shelby. She gave Polly a smile in acknowledgement and ushered the rest of the children inside feeling nothing but disbelief. An apology from a Shelby. She certainly hadn't expected that. Evelyn set the flowers in a glass on her desk before settling the rowdy children for the day.

-x-

As December begun to pass restlessness slowly swept through Small Heath. It started small from the murmurings of those working the boats bringing news from London to the educated few who read the newspapers. Unrest in Europe had begun to seep into mainland Britain. Just like it had crept, in the form of excitement, into Evelyn's classroom in the week leading up to Christmas. They were wild animals. She dismissed them for an afternoon break early on the last day before the Christmas holidays. She needed the time to clear the dull headache that had plagued her all morning. After setting up for an afternoon of history she went outside for some fresh air. A game of football, using an old battered leather football, had taken over the small yard. She smiled seeing children of all ages playing until her eyes fell on one particular child. Finn.

She watched as his little legs scrambled up the low wall pulling himself up by the railings to talk to two strangers. "Finn lad, we've got a job for yer," the taller of the two spoke over the noise of the children playing. It set alarm bells off immediately. Evelyn strode across the yard, disrupting the game.

"Can I help you?" she enquired.

"We need Finn," the shorter man answered.

"Finn is in school," she answered and turned away, "Come along Finn. You better head inside. Games over children. Let's go."

"Did yer 'ear that John boy? Finn's in school," the taller nudged the other, "Thing is we need 'im."

"Finn is in school," Evelyn repeated, "He is staying in school."

"Do yer know who we are?" John boy asked.

"I'm not interested in who you are. Answer is still no," Evelyn knew exactly who they were, Peaky Blinders. Ignoring them she steered Finn by the shoulders towards the door where the rest of the children were waiting. Finn shrugged her off and stomped his way inside. She let him go.

Evelyn didn't look back to the two Peaky Blinders at the fence as she closed and bottled the door. Just to be on the safe side. "Miss Trevellick, yer just said no to the Shelby's," Mary, one of the youngest girls tugged on the sleeve of her dress.

"I did and I would do it again," she answered swiftly ignoring the look of awe on their faces. Best not to dwell on it any further.

"Aren't yer scared?" Robbie asked.

Evelyn was petrified but she kept it quiet, "I'm not scared. None of you should be either." These two Peaky Blinders were very different from the one she'd met on first morning at school. The one who had walked her back safely. These two were unpredictable and dangerous. Evelyn hadn't missed the razor blades in their caps. She decided to play it cool and carry on with the afternoon's lesson. She could focus on that and deal with the fall out later. "Yer should. Arthur and John, they're Peaky Blinders," Finn stood up from his desk scraping his chair back. Murmuring broke out in a across the classroom that set the tone for the afternoon's lesson. They made her out to be some kind of hero for saying no to the Shelby's.

Evelyn was glad to see the end of the school day as she said goodbye to the children, "Cheer up mardy bum," Evelyn said to Finn as he sulked his way out of the school for Christmas. He'd crossed his arms and refused to do any work for the first part of the history lesson on the British Empire. Finn ignored her and took off running out of the school gate leaving Evelyn powerless to stop him from joining his two brothers. She didn't hang around at the end of the day. The empty school room giving her the jitters. She packed up her stuff and headed to the security of her small home. Evelyn wasn't waiting around to see if the Shelby's returned.

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 **Not the best chapter, I blame tiredness but hopefully you'll enjoy. Thank you to all of you lovely people who have left reviews!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So sorry it has been so long. I've been super busy with lots of excuses we've probably all heard before. I've had a few recent reviews asking for an update which gave me a kick up the backside to get this going again. Enjoy :)**

Chapter 5

With her tea cooking on the rusty stove of her pokey kitchen Evelyn sat down to read her handful of post, she needed the distraction with the expectation of a visit from the Shelby's looming. A friend she used to work with, now living in America, sent her a letter worthy of a small novel accounting for her days. Evelyn set it aside for later, reached for another letter from pile and picked up the ornate silver letter opener. Try as she might she couldn't shake the unease that had plagued her ever since her run in with two of the Shelby's that morning. She half expected the Shelby's and the rest of the Peaky Blinders to come barging into her home with some sort of threat. At least she hoped it was just going to be a threat. A high pitched whistle had Evelyn leaping from her chair dropping the letter and letter opener to the flagstone floor with a clatter. She didn't notice as a second envelope tucked behind the first letter tumbled to the floor and slid under her wonky kitchen table. With her heart racing she realised it was the kettle whistling away on the stove. Feeling immensely daft she took a steadying breath and picked up the letter and opener before removing the kettle from the heat. "It's all fine," she repeated to herself. The second letter remained unopened beneath the table.

Her jumpiness continued into the evening and not even a good stiff measure gin could help calm her nerves. It was silly really, she mused. She was skittish to every tiny noise. There was no way she was going to get any sleep later. Evelyn poured herself another strong gin and knocked it back feeling the burn in her throat. She never drunk gin that way but needs must.

Three gins deep Evelyn made the risky decision to confront the Shelby's head on. With conviction she pulled on her coat and slipped her feet into her smart black heeled boots giving her an extra bit of confidence. She swept open her front door swinging it wide and stepped onto the front step. If the Shelby's weren't going to come to her then she would find them, her first port of call would be the dingy pub they frequented.

"Not so fast," a gruff voice startled her as she stepped onto the uneven footpath. In the blink of an eye rough calloused hands manhandled her back inside. Evelyn let out a small yelp and struggled against her intruders. Before she could cry out for help a large clammy palm covered her mouth. Eyes wide in panic she struggled unable to get a view of her intruders in the dark cramped hallway. It took mere seconds for her attackers to push her the length of her short hall into the compact kitchen.

The clammy hand vanished as she was unceremoniously shoved down into one her distressed wooden chairs with a thud. Momentarily stunned she blinked, dazed at the rapid turn of events as her mind struggled to process the turn of events. Her heart thundered and her pulse raced in panic. "Let me go! You need t' leave! Now!" Evelyn all but screamed as she attempted to stand up. It was a futile attempt as hands behind her held her in place.

"You the teacher?" it was a different voice to the one out on the street. This belonged to the second man. In the dull light of the kitchen Evelyn could make out the shadowy outline second man. There was no mistaking the peaked cap, although his perched atop his head at jaunty angle. Without a doubt the two men in her kitchen were the other two Shelby brothers, the two who came looking for Finn. Arthur and John. She'd heard Finn mention them but couldn't say which was which.

Evelyn, fuelled by anger and fear, answered the Shelby brother with conviction, "You already know I am and I know exactly who you are."

" 'ere, she's a bit posh for round 'ere," the brother whose outline she could see stepped nearer. Evelyn could just make out the features of face complete with tooth pick.

"Got ideas above yer station, have yer?" the other added joining his brother. He let go over shoulders and stepped from behind her chair. He was easily a head taller than his brother. Evelyn began to feel more intimidated as they towered over her. These two men were unpredictable, violent and uncouth with a reputation across the whole of Small Heath as key members of the Peaky Blinders.

"I'm doing my job," Evelyn countered, "Giving Finn a future which is more than can be said for you two."

"Now you listen 'ere, _Miss_. This 'ere is our city and our rules. You do as we tell you," the taller brother with the bristled moustache stepped forward. Evelyn could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. She caught the glimpse of a blade in his cap and took a sharp intake of breath.

"That's right, getting' it now?" he backed away. Evelyn was torn. Every fibre in her body was telling her to flee and not to challenge the Shelby brothers but part of her, the one that did battle on a daily basis for the future of the younger generation was crying out to fight back.

Evelyn weighed her options and changed tact allowing common sense to get the better of her. Surely they could be made to see sense? "You shouldn't be taking Finn out of school," Evelyn forgot about watching her accent and lapsed into her broad Yorkshire. "What kind of future is he going to have? Do you really want him getting int' trouble on t' streets and getting arrested. Wi' an education he can ger'ra decent job and earn enough t' support himself and a family. Wi'out an educa-"

"Bloody hell!" the taller brother shouted making Evelyn jump.

"Woman, yer don't 'alf go on," the shorter brother added "We ain't-" he was interrupted by the sound of her front door opening.

"Who's that?" the taller brother demanded.

"W-w-who's who?" Evelyn stammered in confusion and looked towards the hall.

-x-

Tommy was enjoying the quiet of The Garrison. It was mid-week and getting late, most regulars had already drifted home. Tommy sat in the side room with the door open slightly. He sipped on the warm amber liquid of his Whisky as he mulled over a deal he'd made a few hours earlier. The slam of the heavy doors of The Garrison caught Tommy's attention. It was unusual for there to be someone coming in this late at night in the middle of the week unless there was an emergency. Tommy downed the remainder of his whisky in one swig, slammed his glass down and slid it to the centre of the table. He stayed seated but alert for any potential threat.

"Tommy! Tommy! You 'ave to come! Quick!" a small body skidded to a halt and almost collided with the table. Tommy relaxed slightly at the sight of the familiar child. It was Finn, out of breath and red in the face. "You 'ave to stop them," Finn panted.

"Stop who? Finn?" Tommy leaned forward resting his arms on the table.

"Arthur and John, yer need to come now," Finn began to tug on the sleeve of Tommy's shirt, "They're going to see Miss Trevellick."

"Why would they need to do that, Finn?" Tommy prompted, "What 'ave yer been up to this time."

"I swear I didn't go anything wrong. I've been good. Like yer said," Finn was eager to be believed. He had been good, for the most part so long as you overlooked the incident with the spider and the time he cut Martha's hair. Not to mention the rude word he carved on the door of the outside toilet. He was rather proud of that last one. He hadn't skipped school though and his eyes that counted as good.

"Not what I 'ear," Tommy answered wryly.

Finn ignored him, "Arthur and John came to school today. They had a job for me but I wasn't allowed to. Now they've gone to see her," Finn confessed to his brother, "They can't 'urt 'er."

With a sigh Tommy got to his fee, put on his coat and walked past Finn, "Come on then." Tommy doubted his brothers would actually hurt her they were more likely to scare her. After all she wasn't worth their time. His brothers were likely drunk from evening of drinking in the Garrison before Tommy arrived. They wouldn't have liked someone getting the better of them. Their intentions were probably to scare the teacher into doing what they wanted. It wouldn't be the first time they'd done it. One thing was becoming clear; Evelyn Trevellick was turning out to be trouble.


End file.
